Free, and unfettered

Does independence actually mean freedom from someone? Or does it mean you have the opportunity to break your shackles. Being fettered is just a mind game. It’s all in the mind. If you feel the world around you closing in, all you need is to let the window of your soul, and mind open…just watch and see how life, fresh ideas, lovely thoughts, beautiful smiles and laughter seeps in slowly, but surely.


Read this ( click on the coloured word to see the article) very nice article and thought I would share it with you all….I wonder if any of you would agree with her.

She smiles like a twinkling star!!

Her eyes twinkled when she smiled. And smile she did so often it was contagious. She radiated a unique sense of energy to those who followed her.
When she laughed her laugh lines stretched so wide it reached the next beautiful smile. She was one with a million dreams, an endless heart, the hand that soothed several tired limbs and the one just wanted to be.

When her partner cried like a baby because she left him alone to go out and meet her friends for her daily round of gossip, she’d get upset. But naturally, it was her intense determination to let the world in on her world. She was so softspoken, one had to strain his ears to hear her. So childlike, her enthusiasm was so infectious.
Her motto in life was to “Live on, its not the end of the world”. As a couple she and her partner had raised kids to the dozens, children , grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. When he touched the babies, it was as if there an invisible protection bubble being created around the child. She insisted on visiting every new born in her family. Nothing would stop her from taking those quick, nimble steps to reach her destination.

Her hair combed so neatly , I wondered if she ever felt bored not to, any single day? Her hands always laden with glass bangles, ones she always insisted I slide it through her soft wrinkly hands. She was special, and she was beautiful for us through her lovely thoughts and her most generous nature.

On the day she celebrated staying together for 75 good years with her partner(75th wedding anniversary), who was nearing a century, she was shy. She blushed when we teased her. She recollected some real wonderful moments with all of us. …and some present there turned beet red!!

She was asked to talk about her extended family, and her life in a joint one. Her position as a wife, mother, grandparent, teacher, friend, guide and most importantly just being HER.. She was as excited as a little child with the candy , seeing herself on television, it made the whole family cherish that moment.
Most remember her for her lovely goodies she would cook up, some which she said couldn’t be made without the right amount of dedication and love. Pour it in, close your eyes, feel the fragrance wift through your nose, if it smells good to you, so will it taste for your people, she said. The aromas, still slowly slides through and settles on our senses…we still hold onto those moments.
Cherish it we will, because at 93 she was our only best…she was our GRANDMOTHER.

To my grandmother who passed on, to celebrate her life along with her husband 13 days ago….they’ll make merry with the angels, and I’m sure bring more smiles to those up there.

p.s (The baby in the above picture, in her lap is my firstborn.)

He shares our childhood memories

"Our siblings push buttons that cast us in roles we felt sure we had let go of long ago - the baby, the peacekeeper, the caretaker, the avoider.... It doesn't seem to matter how much time has elapsed or how far we've traveled....To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time."

My brother who could be SEEN but hardly heard, one who went about his ways, in his own special way. He makes us feel all puffed up when we see him grow and grow he did on all sides though. For all the pinches and punches he withstood, the elder sister standing tall to bully and ready to ambush. Pushing him to the far end of the family spectrum, 'cos he was small and young...giving him the odd chair on the dining table. He took it in his stride and let us into his world. He grew up and we left those skinny two legs behind, we search for them high and low, but we found in its place a bean bag to envelop and warm our souls..he's our brother, round and tall...he's there for us cordless or not..we love him just as he is, and we are proud...he's the only one who can be called "MY LOVING BROTHER" love

For my brother who means the world to me...HAPPY RAKHI

Revival?

As evening descended a familiar feel to the day took place. The lights brightened, the lamps were lit, all arrangements were checked many times over to receive the many guests who would arrive at our house, for the haldi kumkum event.

It was the Varalakshmi pooja and it was being celebrated in a very traditional way. The pooja being done in the morning, the evening was set aside, for the ladies who would come in bringing their smiles, their finery, their lovely silks and of course a lot of gossip too.
The main topic of discussion would weave its path from hot topics like which saree was the latest in pattern, to who had made the best prasad.

This year, we had a double bonus in the form of ‘Go Green’. Some of the ladies had brought in their huge bags to take home the bounty from the various houses they would visit. It was so heartening to see this awareness, because invariably they would ask for a plastic bag to take home the many cups, coconuts etc from all their visits.

It also took me back to the time, when we as kids would wait with curious breaths..for such occasions,…The colony where we lived, organized a small recital of VishnuSahasranam every Thursday , Each week it would be held in a different house. As kids we were not so much into religion, we were interested in meeting our friends, passing our time running around and of course trying to figure out what the prasad for that day would be. If it was in the house of ‘prasad choice’ , we had to troop in before the aarathi or else the glares we would get from our fathers or other elderly people in the gathering would make us run for dear lives. So it had to be at the appropriate time, time enough to be part of the recital, but not early enough to get bored out of our guts.. I remember there was this particular verse which would mean the last part was nearly close. It was the “ Vanamali gathi shaangi”….(for those who know this , will understand what i'm saying here )our well trained ears would catch hold of that word , and in we would file in, silent, sly and smug. Loud enough for the parents to hear our devotion, we would sing the last few verses with utmost precision ( of course we had been reciting just that for so many weeks, we had to be perfect at it ).

Then the time would come for the distribution of prasad…the much awaited part of the day. It was fun, the anticipation, the repeated requests for more, the patience we developed, just to eat what we loved the most. These small , simple events of our lives interspersed with so many bigger ones, it overlapped and then slowly got absorbed. Not knowing how, I realized, I have learnt most of the traditions, all handed down through subtle methods, none forced on us reluctant kids. No amount of persuasion can bring a bored child to smile, when he/s she is made to sit through something they don’t like. But they do learn by watching as they grow and this was obviously what our parents excelled at, without making it obvious.

Sadly kids nowadays hardly have time to absorb such niceties. They are more interested in their psp's, games, etc. :( I’m not saying it should be made compulsory. But traditions would die a peaceful death if it were not for such methods. If it means the kids get to eat their favourite sweet, only on such days, I’m sure they would wait with more interest…and relish it all the more. I’ve been trying to follow this too….tried never to force my kids to do something, but made it interesting enough for them to watch, got them to help around with the arrangements, invited their friends over so they have company and just let them be…
I’m hoping one day it will help pass on traditions and culture which Indians are so rich in.

Its very gladdening to say, that now after all these years, years of having lived in far off lands away from these old culture pots...the very same "prasada eating only" kids, have decided to facilitate the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi...and when my father spoke to me about it, I could hear so much pride in his voice...he was proud of his many children who had withstood all the glares only for this...

:D

Where in the world did I lose the thinking part of my system???

Strangely my mind which rattles off words at million words in a second, speaks faster than even that..the system which can conjure unimaginable abilities to chat up, wonder where the ability to pen down those very same thoughts go!!

Those months ago...( 2 years now since I started blogging!! ) when I started to blog, I remember stepping out of the house, and being impatient to get back. You wonder why? Don't!! I would have seen, heard or wondered a million things and everything had to be sent out to the world in the form of the post...and was I successful, oh Yes!!! I enjoyed it. I would wait to see how the post sounded, or sometimes would worry, if I would be thought crazy if I blogged twice in a day!! I did that too...but I loved it. I never thought if it was ok to post about this or that!!!

Now forward life to 24 months hence...and i'm sitting waiting for people to pass by, thoughts to dance across and sometimes I do read about something and think hmmm this should go into some lines of a post...but all of a sudden it disappears :(.

There are times when I think "Oh ! but they already know about this" ,cos I've managed to meet and get to know many of the bloggers...and it has been so fulfiiling...( hey!! now don't go away thinking this a 'vote of thanks'....i'm still here...and here to stay...)

Just went through a very 'brainnumb phase' thats it....now i'm hoping to get back to writing....and more writing... :)...yes there will be times when you'll tear your hair out and say arrrgggg, Praaaaats...mad woman...but I assure you, I still remember each and every one of you...and i'm coming back to stalk you :D